Background prior to the hand in question: Day 2 of Venetian 1600. Repping very tight image with mostly folds all day. 2 players moved to the table (6 and 7 seat) and were there for 1-2 hours. During that time I had a couple spots with both flush and straight draws on each hand. Bet aggressive each time, blanked out rivers and was called each time. 36 spots pay and 38 left. Prior to 6/7 seat sitting I had 350k with average at 200k. Now I'm at 220k after the above-mentioned blanks with average at 250.

37 left and I'm UTG with AA. Blinds at 2500-5k. I raise to 12K and 7 seat calls on the button with 400-425K (loose/aggressive player). Flop comes 226. I bet 25K, he calls with some statement about my beef being with the 6 seat based on the two prior hands (these 3 hands happened within 30 minutes). 6 seat comments with something about me having plenty of hate to go around (further bolstering 7 seat's line of thinking). Based on their limited time playing at the table they thought I was just spewing at that point (couldn't be more wrong).

Turn 4, I bet 40K and he moves all in. Have around 140 left and call with the mindset of (1) big stack thinking I'm continuing to spew/punt (2) big stack thinking it being the bubble I am way more likely to fold to his all-in. I call and he has pocket 4s.

It's hard for me to escape that hand cause I'm looking to get to the final table rather than min cashing. If I fold, I prob can guarantee a min cash of $3,100. I end up busting though. Did I put too much emphasis into what I thought they were thinking of me (ie. punting)? Is this an easy fold? The $3,100 doesn't mean much so that doesn't bother me (not being in the tourney does). I felt that the odds of him trying to push me out of the pot were much greater than him having 6s, 4s, or 2s, in his hand. Does this hand play itself or is there a chance to escape this spot? Any advice from you guys would be much appreciated. Thanks!

I think it is hardly for someone to escape here especially with 226 rainbow and a 4 on turn. He can jam with so many other over pair including bdfd to give us tremendous bubble pressure. I don't think I can fold at this spot.

I really cant see myself getting away from that spot. So many other hands he does that to you with that stack. I cant think of many 2's that he has there. A few combo's of sets and that's it. Way more likely you are up against 8's -10's I think.

Agree with this. I’m never folding here. 77+ and even 5-7 is jamming turn so I don’t see how can fold here. Sucks if you lose but this is a golden spot. If you lost, sorry to hear but I’m never folding here. Don’t see a lot of 2’s in opponents range. Just chalk it up to extreme run bad if you call and lose here. Hope you called and won! I assume it was a sick beat though.

You definitely don't need to bomb it. Not cashing here with 44bb is terrible.

Oh yeah sorry, didn't clarify, lost the hand.

I don't follow your logic. At what point are you advocating a fold?


^^^ being serious, not trolling! I cannot come up with any reasonable line that lets V get away here.

Sorry to hear that. This is a gross spot. I feel you gotta get it in here. I feel a lot of hands you are dominating are doing this. It’s not like it was a 3 bet pot where you obv have a huge hand. This is just **** tourny luck.

I'm not but you can check a street or bet alot less. 3/4 pot on 226 is bad. So is hammering turn again and calling it off.

I don't think there is much you can do other than call it off. I cant see any way that I fold. I think he could have turned a combo draw with diamonds on top of a pair and hes going with it.

I don't see many 2's in his range and if he does have it then good for him.

Tournament poker!

I don't think you could fold as played and its a gross spot. There is some merit to checking turn and not playing for your tournament life with an unimproved pair on the money bubble w 44bbs, average stack with the table chipleader. Im sure there must have been some really small stacks that made the money because you went broke here.

At the time I didn't consider checking the turn. Thinking about it now I'm not sure it would have made a difference. If I'm not betting the turn, he probably is (since he didn't slow-play my turn bet) and his bet would be around the same sizing I'd think. The only question would be if he bets me all-in on river (would have been pot sized) or 1/2 pots it. I don't see him 3/4 potting it.

Yeah there was a short-stack with 30k at my table and probably some others spread around. I don't play many tournaments so have little experience with bubble situations. From my limited experience, I haven't been concerned with min cashing as I'm looking to final table or bust.

Again, appreciate all the responses as I can get some good perspective on my thinking/playing and what others would do. Dinner break was in 30 min and I was deciding on what I should get. 5 minutes later I was in the car driving 6 hours back to Phoenix, lol.

You should do some reading about proper money bubble play to expand your knowledge. It is a great point to apply real pressure on the short stacks and the meek and not the best time to get all in preflop with the chip leader. My general rule of thumb is I try only to get it all in against players w 50% of my stack if i am a medium/large stack.

+1. Betting small on flop for sure, like check on turn vs. LAG who will probably try to stab once we show weakness on turn. Would check fair amount of my range here tbh.

I do think as played we have to call but we put ourselves in really awkward situations by bloating pot.

I agree w/ the other poster here, poker gods can be such bastards w/ these set up trappy hands. No way I'm going broke on the bubble w/ a pair especially w/ a decent stack, even if it's the best pair.